Behind Their Masks: Brotherly Bond
by AngelUnicorn00
Summary: Frank and Joe are tired, but with the masks they put up, no one knows the truth. When a case goes bad, they find that their bond only gets stronger the more they face.


Disclaimer: If it can be found on Google, I don't own it.

Frank and Joe walked through the front door, feet dragging as they headed upstairs. Joe dropped his bag on his floor before heading over to Frank's room.

"Okay," Frank said, neatening his backpack for the next day. "Today's Thursday. Tomorrow, we've got a test in American History. You've got a date with Vanessa tonight, and Tony asked us to stop by the Pizzaria after school tomorrow. Chet needs help working on his car too. I guess we help him after we meet up with everyone. What do you think?"

Joe flopped on Frank's bed. "I think I've used up all my sick days, so I'm calling in dead."

"Got room in your coffin for one more?"

Joe laughed. "But seriously, we need a vacation. Some time to sit back, relax, and do nothing. No running around, no activities, just enjoy some boredom!"

Frank smiled.

On the outside the boys looked fine. They were straight A students, with wonderful friends, and plenty of excitement. But under the surface, they were tired. Physically worn down.

And, they missed each other.

"So, are you and Callie doing anything tonight?"

"Nope. Why would we? You're going on a date!"

"True. When was the last time we hung out a night, just you and me?"

"Six months ago, when we _somehow_ took the wrong plane. We ended up in Washington D.C. I still don't know how we did that!"

"We're just good that way."

Frank went over and flopped down on the bed by Joe. "Maybe we should go to the lake this weekend."

Before Joe could answer, there was a knock on the door.

Frank sighed, sitting up. "Who is it?"

The door opened, and Fenton entered the room. "Hey boys. I was wondering if you two could help me with a case."

Pushing aside their exhaustion, they put on their 'masks', real-looking, forced smiles.

"Of course Dad! What's the case?" Joe said.

"Four groups of two boys have been found dead. The cause of their deaths is unknown, but it looks like the same thing."

"What does it look like?" Frank asked, not really liking where this was going.

"In all four cases, one boy is completely limp and it looks like his heart just stopped beating. But the other boy is rigged and he looks like he died screaming. And one boy is really beat up. There seems to be no pattern in which one it is."

"I'd rather be the first boy," Joe quiped.

Frank glanced at Joe. He heard the hidden fear in his brother's statement.

"Dad," Frank said. "This sounds _really_ dangerous. Are you sure you want us on this case?"

"Honestly, I don't. But you two are the only ones I can trust with this case. All of the boys were last seen at the video arcade on Elm Street."

"So, you want us to go check it out?" Frank asked.

"Pretty much."

"What if we get caught?" Joe asked.

"We thought of that. You two will wear a tracking device and a wire, so if you do get caught we'll find you easily. And we'll get the proof to put them behind bars. So, are you in?"

Frank and Joe looked at each other.

"We're in."

"Good, we need you two. You can start after school tomorrow. Oh! Right, you're supposed to meet up with your friends."

"It's okay Dad, they'll understand," Frank said.

"No, it's not fair to them or you two. Have some fun with your friends, just try to be at the arcade by six. That's when we think the kidnappings mostly happened."

"Alright Dad. We can do that," Joe said.

"By the way, Mom will be home in a minute. She's bringing Chinese food."

"Sweet," Joe said. _"Again?"_ He thought.

" _I miss Aunt Gertrude. I wish we hadn't complained about her!"_ Frank thought.

Fenton looked back as he left the room, and saw his happy, well behaved sons. As he walked down the steps, he sighed. _"I wish they would've said no."_

Frank and Joe walked to the arcade, having left their motorcycles at the Pizzaria, just in case the plan went south. Both boys had carried the tracking devices and wires in their pockets. Right before they left, they put them on.

"Do you think we'll find the crooks?" Joe asked.

"Maybe. Honestly, I hope we don't. I don't want to know what made the boys die like that."

Frank and Joe entered the arcade.

"It's 5:23," Frank whispered. "Dad said it happens around 6 each time."

"I wonder why."

"I'm not sure yet. But we're about to find out."

Frank and Joe headed to the back of the arcade. Looking around, they realized that there was no one else back there. The area between each game was covered with shadows.

Joe whispered in Frank's ear. "I bet this is where people disappear from."

"I'm sure of it. We have some time to kill, so we'd better make this look good."

"Man, this is going to be a hard stake out."

"You're being sarcastic right?"

"Dumb questions don't get answered, Frankie."

Taking turns playing, so their change would last long enough, they spent the next 37 minutes playing video games back in the secluded corner of the arcade. But even with that precaution, their money ran out.

"Rats! I almost beat my high score!" Joe said, putting the fake gun back.

"Better luck next time. You beat me at least."

"Frank, anyone that can't beat you can't _play!"_ Joe replied.

"Hey, I got a hundred."

"And 10th. place is 567 points. By a girl."

Frank placed his hand over his heart. "Ow, that hurt Joe."

"Sorry," Joe replied, in mock regret. "What should we do now?"

"Look around I guess."

"Hey. What are you two up to?"

Both boys spun around and saw a man leaning against an arcade game. The games made a wall between the boys and the door.

"Nothing sir. Why do you ask?" Frank replied.

"I was just on my way out, and I noticed that you two weren't playing anything."

"Oh, that. We just ran out of money," Frank replied.

"But we're not ready to go home yet," Joe added.

"Ah. Happens all the time. Follow me, and I'll show you a game that isn't anything like in here. And . . . it's free."

Joe's face lit up. "Really? That's awesome!"

Frank looked sceptical. "Free? Nothing's free."

"But it is. It will cost you no money at all. Just a bit of time." The man approached them. "You in?"

"Come on Frank. This'll be fun."

Frank met Joe's eye, and saw right through his act. _"I'm the worried big brother, and he's the excited, naive kid. It works."_ "Alright. We'll be home for dinner, right?"

"Of course. We wouldn't want your mother mad at you. Right this way."

They followed the man to the corner, where there was a door. He unlocked it and stepped outside. "Loading door," he said over his shoulder.

He lead them to a car, climbing in the front seat, while they got in the back. They noticed that there was a 'shield' in-between them and the driver, like in a limo.

"Where are we going?" Frank asked.

"To the special game. Like I said, this is gonna take a minute."

The man turned on the car, the back doors locking at once.

"Who are you, anyway?" Frank asked, really starting to get nervous.

"Me? Oh, you can call me-" the man looked back at them, a smile on his face. "The Joker." He closed the shield window and pressed the air conditioner button. The back of the car started filling with a pale gas.

Joe and Frank tried to open the doors, but they wouldn't open.

"The best part is the fact that no one can see in here. The windows are specially tinted as long as the air conditioner is on."

Joe banged on the window, until he slumped over, suddenly exhausted. Frank fell next to him a minute later.

"You're still awake? I guess I need to turn this thing up."

The hissing grew louder. Frank tried to lift his head, but he suddenly felt so tired. He felt Joe place his hand on his arm. Giving in, they drifted off to sleep.

" _I hope that the tracking devices work._ " Was Frank's last thought.

Joe slowly came to. "*Groan* Where am I?" He tried to rub his head, but his hands were tied to a chair. At least he thought it was a chair. The room he was in was pitch black.

"Frank? Ya there? Frank?"

Suddenly, the room filled with light. Joe blinked against it. He saw Frank, still unconscious, sitting in a chair beside him. Both boys were strapped down with thick metal rings around their wrists, ankles, and chest.

Joe looked around the room, and his eyes widened. "This looks like a casino!"

"You're right. This is the only casino to ever be run in Bayport. It hasn't been used in over a hundred years. Well . . . Until we came along that is."

"Who are you? Show yourselves!"

Four men walked towards where Frank and Joe were sitting.

"We need to wait for Frank to wake up, before we introduce ourselves."

"I'll wake him up." The man walked over and waved a bottle of something under Frank's nose. He woke with a start, coughing from the substance.

"Wha? Where am I?"

"The only casino in Bayport. It's no longer used, unfortunately."

The man that kidnapped them stepped forward. "Allow us to introduce ourselves. You may call me 'The Joker'." The man bowed. He was a normal height and build. With brown hair and green eyes.

The man that woke Frank up said, "You may call me Doctor Doom." He was a tall thin man, with coarse black hair and dark blue eyes.

The man that had talked first stepped forward. "You may call me Loki. And I must say, it is a pleasure to get to . . . entertain such fine folk tonight." With his crazy blond hair and green eyes, his name made sense.

The fourth man looked up, speaking for the first time. "You can call me Shredder." He was a mountain of a man, standing six-and-a-half feet tall with the muscles of a bodybuilder.

"Now," the Joker said, clapping his hand together. "Let's get right to our game. It's many games actually. All of them take a gamble."

"We don't gamble," Frank said.

All four men laugh.

Joker said, dropping his pleasant person act, "Who said you had a choice? Here's how the first game works. Do you see the chairs you're in? What are they?"

Frank and Joe looked at the chairs. Realizing the game at the same time.

"Electric chairs!"

"Very good! You two are bright. Here's a panel. One switch releases you from your bonds, one electrocutes both of you, while the other two electrocutes just one of you. Which one do you choose?"

"None of them," Frank replied.

"Really? None. Would you like me to choose? I know which one will electrocute your brother."

"No! We'll . . . Just give us a second." Frank turned to Joe. "What do you think?"

"I think we have no choice. Really, we have a 25% chance of being right."

"One out of four? Those aren't good odds."

"Let's try . . . The one on my side. The left one."

"Is that your final answer?"

"Yes," both boys replied.

Joker flipped the switch. Frank's scream followed shortly after. 50 volts ran through him for five seconds. When it was over, he slumped down in his chair.

"Frank! Frank are you alright!?"

Frank could only nod his head.

"Which switch shall I throw next?"

Joe glared at the man, before thinking it over again. _"1:3, still bad odds. But those are also the odds of Frank getting electricuted again."_ "The one of the right."

"That your final answer?"

"Yes."

The man flipped the switch, sending 50 volts into both boys. The men laughed at the boys' condition. Frank was unconscious, while Joe looked very weak.

"What's your next choice?" The Joker asked again.

Joe lifted his head. "The one on the right."

"We already threw that one."

"The middle right."

"Oh, I getcha."

He flipped the switch. Joe braced for impact, but the bands left his arms, legs, and trunk instead. Frank slumped to the floor.

Joe lunged out of the chair, scooping his brother up in his arms. "Frank? Frank wake up!"

The elder boy stirred. "What happened?"

"Electrocution." Looking up at their captors, he asked, "Is that all we're here for?"

"Nope," Joker replied. "Not by a long shot. We have more . . . 'games' for you. But first, we need to send something off." The man held up two wallets. "I do believe these belong to you two."

Frank and Joe's eyes went wide. They looked at each other. _"Our IDs!"_

"I noticed something was off about you two. Most of the boys freeze in panic, but you instantly fought back." After a dramatic pause, he continued, "So, you're Fenton Hardy's sons. He sent you to catch us. How cute."

Frank and Joe stood up, ready to fight if need be. Frank spoke up. "Prove it."

The Joker pulled out a small tracking device. "Doc deactivated it. No one knows where you are, and no one's coming to rescue you."

"How did you find it!?" Joe yelled.

"Metal detector," Joker replied.

Joe lunged at the man, but Frank spoke up, his voice shaking. "Joe, stop!"

Joe pulled up short. Turning around, his blood ran cold when he saw that Shedder had a hold of Frank, one hand under his jaw.

"You'd better behave," Joker replied, leaving the threat hanging in the air.

Joe stepped back, his fists at his side, anger radiating off his face.

With a nod from Joker, Shredder released Frank, who stumbled over to Joe.

Doctor Doom walked over. "The next 'game' is ready."

'Escorted' by all four men, Frank and Joe sat down at a round table, opposite each other. Their left hands were handcuffed to their chairs.

"So what's this game?" Joe asked.

"Good question," Joker replied.

"Can I tell them?" Loki asked.

"Of course you can," Joker replied.

Loki sat down and got very serious. "This game is a version of Russian Roulette."

Frank gasped. "No! No we won't play!"

"Don't worry, they're not real bullets, they're blanks."

"Then what's the point?" Frank asked, Joe looking on in confusion.

"The first one of you that gets 'shot' goes in the ring with the last man 'standing'."

"But . . If one of us is the last one in the game, would we have to fight each other?"

Loki opened his mouth to respond, but found no answer, so he turned to Joker.

" _He's definitely the leader,"_ Frank thought.

Joker replied, "It hasn't happened yet, but there's always a first time. Would you two have to fight each other? . . . Yes, yes I think you would."

"Alright, who's ready?" Loki asked.

The other three sat down.

Joker placed the blank in the pistol, spinning the bullet barrel around. Setting it on the table, he spun it around. It pointed at Loki.

He picked it up, cocked it, placed it to his head, and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened, so he passed it to the left, to Doctor Doom.

Likewise, he placed it to his head and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. He passed the pistol to the left. To Frank.

He picked it up. _"There are six slots, two have been used, there's four left. There's a two out of four shot either way."_ He cocked it, placed it to his head, but couldn't pull the trigger. "I can't do it." Instead, he shot in the air. Nothing happened. He went limp with relief.

Joker got it next. A loud bang followed.

"Well, looks like I'm out." He leaned back to watch the game.

Joker loaded the pistol and spun it for round two. It landed on Frank. Nothing. Shredder got it. Nothing. Joe got it. Frank held his breath, but there was nothing. Loki got it. **BANG**.

Joker loaded it for round three. "Two on two. Who's next?"

It landed on Doctor Doom. Nothing all the way around.

Loki laughed. "Either Frank's in the ring, or Doc. is out of the game. Which is it?"

Doctor Doom picked it up, placed it to his head, pulled the trigger . . . and there was silence.

"No!" Joe yelled, trying to break free. _"Forget what that guy said earlier! Frank's about to get hurt anyway!"_

His hands shaking, Frank took the pistol. Pointing it up, he pulled the trigger, and the shot rang out.

He slumped to the table, shaking. _"Please don't let Shredder be the last one standing."_

While Joker set up the next round, Loki walked over and grabbed Frank's arm.

"Hey! Let go!"

Loki handcuffed Frank's right hand to the chair. "You're out of the game."

Frank closed his eyes, willing the game to go in their favor. _"What_ _ **is**_ _our favor? If Joe 'wins' then we fight each other! And there's no_ _ **telling**_ _what they can add it! But if Shredder wins, then I'm dead. Our best bet will be if Doctor Doom wins."_

A gun shot brought his out of his thoughts. He opened his eyes and saw the pistol in Doom's hand.

"No!"

Joker set up the last round. Frank watched, terror building with each passing 'turn'. First Joe had it, then Shredder, then back to Joe, then to Shredder, then back to Joe, where it went off.

Frank's eyes went wide with terror. He tried to calm himself. _"At least Joe's out of harm's way. Wait a minute! What happens to_ _ **him**_ _now!?"_

They dragged Frank over to a specially built fighting 'cage'. It was about thirty feet wide by thirty feet long, with the wire mesh going up to the ceiling.

Shredder entered the cage, and Frank was shoved in after him. He looked around. _"Better me than Joe."_ The thought didn't help much though.

"Oh, I forgot something," Joker said, approaching the cage. "Joe participates in this also."

"No! He . . . But you said . . . "

"What _did_ I say?" Joker motioned over to where Joe was being strapped into another electrical chair, a gag firmly in his mouth.

He looked up at Frank. Silently, he said, 'I'm okay. Focus on the fight.'

Frank nodded. 'Okay. But I'm still worried about you.'

Joe smiled. 'Good. If you weren't, I'd be worried.'

"They just spoke to each other telepathically!" Loki squealled. "That is _so_ _ **cool**_ _!"_

Both boys thought at the same time. _"He's not well in the head."_

Joker spoke up. "Alright, here's how _this_ game works. Everytime Frank gets hit, Joe gets shocked."

Frank turned to face his opponent. _"This just got a whole lot harder."_ "When will the fight end?"

"When one of you three is unconscious, or very close at least. All right, on your marks . . . Get set . . . Fight!"

Frank didn't land one hit on the man, instead he took several punches, each one associated with a scream from Joe.

Finally, Frank fell against the mesh, his head spinning. _"I've . . . got . . . to . . . keep . . . going . . . "_

Shredder grabbed him and threw him across the cage. His head hit hard.

Joe no longer felt the shocks, he only saw his brother being almost beaten to death.

After another blow to the jaw, Frank crumpled to the floor, out cold.

A large shock of electricity ran through Joe, knocking him out as well.

Joe woke up in a bed, in, what looked like, a bed room. Looking across the room, he saw Frank on another bed. Getting up as fast as he could, he rushed to his brother's side.

Frank was covered in cuts and bruises. With a busted lip, two black eyes, some bleeding _in_ his right eye, and a possibly broken nose, along with numerous interal injuries Joe couldn't see, he needed a hospital.

Joe pushed a lock of hair away from Frank's eyes. The touch roused Frank from his slumber. With a groan, he opened his eyes. It took him a second to focus.

"Joe?"

Joe gently grabbed Frank's hand. _"Add concussion to the list."_ "I'm right here. You're safe, for now."

"No . . . We're . . . not."

"Shhhh, don't talk. You're hurt."

"Joe." Frank grabbed Joe's hand, hard. "Run! . . . Run as fast as you can! . . . Get help . . . Get . . . help . . . " Frank fell back, once again unconscious.

Joe looked at his brother. _"How could he even_ _ **think**_ _that I would leave him here!?"_

Joe went over to 'his' bed and took off the sheet. Ripping it into strips, he wrapped up Frank's wounds. Once again rousing the boy from his sleep.

"Joe? What? What are you . . . still . . . doing here?" He took deep breaths with each pause.

"I'm not leaving."

"Joe-"

"No. You're hurt. Imagine what they could do to you!"

"Could you stop them?"

Joe thought it over. "Probably not. But what if they move and I can't find you again?"

"They like their game. If you run, the game's messed up, and they'll have to either let me go, get you back, or get someone new."

"You couldn't live through that again!"

"Yeah, *heh* I don't know about you, but my nerves are shot. Pardon the pun."

Joe groaned.

A click made Joe turn around. The door opened, allowing the Joker to enter. "I'm glad you're awake. You've been out for quite some time. We have one last game for you two."

Frank forced himself to get up, but Joe refused. "No. He's hurt. He's not going anywhere right now!"

Shredder entered, not a scratch on him from the match. He grabbed Joe and threw him over his shoulder. Joe kicked and shouted at them, but it did no good.

Shredder dropped Joe into a chair at the 'Roulette Table'. Joe tried to get up, but two big hands on his shoulders restrained him.

Frank was brought in a moment later, more alert. When he sat down, he placed his head on his hand, looking at Joe, a slightly quirky smile on his face.

"You drugged him!" Joe yelled.

"Why, yes we did," Joker replied, motioning to Doctor Doom. "It's just a pain medicine. He'll be in his right mind shortly. In the mean time, you have a call to make."

Shredder moved over behind Frank's chair, silently threatening him.

Joker pulled out Joe's phone, dialling 'Home'. "Don't say a word about who we are or where we are. Or else." Joker left it hanging, motioning over to Frank, who was starting to come out of the cloud.

" _Ring . . . Ring . . . Ring . . . Ring . . . Joe!? Joe is that you!?"_

Joe recognized his Dad's voice. "Yeah Dad, it's me. I . . . I'm sorry."

" _What's wrong!? What happened!? Where are you!?"_

Joe shot a glance over at Frank, who shook his head. "We can't tell you that."

" _Is Frank there with you?"_

"Yeah, he's right here."

"Hey Dad. We're fine, for the most part."

" _What do they want?"_

Frank and Joe looked at each other. "We don't know."

"Nothing imparticular," Joker replied.

Frank spoke up. "Dad. I get the feeling that this is good bye."

" _No! What do you people want? I'll give you anything, just let them go!"_

Joker laughed. "Oh, begging are you? Won't change anything. We've played some games today, and we have one more planned. You'll see them afterwards."

" _What's the game?"_

"There are two plates sitting on the table, completely identical, except . . . the poison in each is different."

A gasp came over the line.

The criminals laughed at the looks of horror on Frank and Joe's faces.

Joker continued. "One poison makes the person go limp, lose consciousness, and finally their heart stops. The other poison, makes the person tense up and pull in on themselves, a very painful process. We don't know which is which. It's all up to chance."

Fenton was speechless. It took him a second to find his voice. _"I'm sorry boys. I'm so sorry."_

"Don't blame yourself Dad."

"We're okay. Mostly."

" _I love you, both of you."_

"We love you too Dad."

"Alright, now it's just getting mushy!" Joker said, pretending to gag. "You've had your good bye, and that's _all_ you're getting." He closed the phone, a smirk on his face. "Alright boys, you heard my explanation. Which one do you think has which poison?"

Joe looked between the two plates. It was the exact same meal of hamburger steak, gravy, mashed potatoes, and iced tea. Only the plates were different, they were both white, but one had blue streaks and the other had red. The cups matched the plates.

"You lied. You can tell which one is which," Joe said, glaring.

"Nope. Doc. Doom poisoned the food, and Loki put it on the colored plates. We have no idea which is which, and we can make sure you don't trade glasses. That's happened many times."

Joe looked over at Frank, no idea what to do. Seeing his brother look at him, Frank gave him a weak smile, before glaring at Joker. "What if we refuse to eat it?"

"Then we'll hurt your brother," Joker replied.

Frank looked at Joe, who nodded his head. "I can live with that," he whispered.

" _I can't let Joe get hurt because of me!"_ Steeling his nervs, he grabbed one of the plates, the one with red streaks, and pulled it toward himself.

"Frank, don't!"

"We don't have a choice Joe."

"If you don't want to eat it, we have the ability to give you a lethal injection, pardon the pun," Joker replied, getting a laugh for his crude joke.

Seeing Shredder ready for action, both boys sighed, and started eating. Their captors also ate dinner, theirs wasn't poisoned though.

When Frank finished, he said, "If I didn't know it was poisoned, I would have really enjoyed that."

Shredder glanced at him. "Thank you. My grandmother taught me to cook."

Their jaws dropped. " _You_ made that!?"

Shredder nodded his head, going back to his quiet, stern self.

"Alright," Joker said, clapping his hands. "Which poison do you think each boy got?"

Loki said, "Frank got the painful one."

Doc. Doom said, "No, Joe got the painful one."

Shredder didn't respond.

Joker just smiled. "We'll see in a moment."

Frank and Joe squirmed under their steady gaze. Frank was about to speak, when he jolted slightly.

Joe tried to place his hand on Frank's shoulder, but his arm fell limp at his side. A second later, he collapsed on to the table.

Frank's arms and legs clenched up toward his body. "What's happening!?"

"Frank got the painful poison," Joker replied.

When the initial 'fit' was over, they marched them both outside to the car and forced them into the trunk.

Frank and Joe kicked and screamed, banging against the lid, trying to get free.

" _Maybe if we can get to a hospital, we'll live."_

They managed to turn so that they were facing each other. Joe was shaking, so Frank wrapped his arms around his brother.

"It'll be okay, Joe. It'll be okay."

"No it won't. Not this time. This time, we're dead!"

"Maybe, but we're not in pain."

"You _will_ be!"

"I'm on pain meds. It'll be a while before I start hurting."

Joe calmed down a bit. "And we _are_ together."

"Exactly, see it's not so bad." Frank hid the panic as his arms locked, clutching Joe tight.

"Frank, what's wrong!?"

"Nothing," Frank lied.

"Frank, I know when you're lying."

Frank sighed. "My arms just locked up. I think it's a normal thing for the poison."

Joe tried to respond, but instead he ended up slumped against Frank. Every muscle seemed to loosen all at once, leaving him completely limp.

"Joe? Joe, you with me?" Frank gave Joe a little shake. _"He's out . . . Or he just can't move."_ "Don't worry Joe. I won't leave you alone. I promise."

The rising sun found Fenton at his desk, tears pouring down his face. _"They died at midnight."_ That was hours before.

He was waiting for the call. The call saying that their bodies were found.

But the call didn't come.

The day passed without a word. The next day slipped into the next, followed by the next. Slowly, a week went by.

Chief Colligs came by the house. "I'm sorry Fenton. There's been no sign of them."

"I just wish I knew."

"Knew what?"

"I wish I knew if they were together. If they were scared. They would comfort each other. I hope they didn't die alone." Fenton sighed. "That probably sounds aweful of me."

"No it doesn't. I agree with you. If they really did . . . Then it'd be best for _them_ if they were together."

Fenton rubbed his hand through his hair.

The door bell rang.

"I'll get it," Laura said, heading for the door. Sighing, she opened it. And let out a scream.

Fenton and Colligs rushed to the door.

"Laura! Laura what's wrong-" Fenton stopped dead in his tracks.

Frank stood at the door, Joe's limp form in his arms. Frank slowly lifted his head, his eyes were glazed over. Fenton and Colligs rushed up to him.

Frank held out Joe, for them to take him. "Save him."

The second Joe was out of Frank's arms, the boy started clenching in on himself. He felt someone grab him, yelling his name. He tried to open his eyes, but every muscle was clenching up on him.

" _But Joe will live now. They'll give him CPR. He'll live."_

Something snapped, making Frank scream in pain. The pain gave way to numbness, then darkness.

" _It's so noisy. Why's it so noisy?"_

Joe opened his eyes, before clamping them shut.

" _Ah! Too bright!"_

"Joe! You're awake!"

Joe slowly opened his eyes again. He tried to talk, but his mouth didn't want to work.

Fenton grabbed Joe's hand. "It's okay. You're safe now. And Frank's here too." Fenton moved over so Joe could see Frank laying in the other bed.

Joe tried to get up, to go to his brother, but Fenton pushed him back down. "No. You need to rest."

A nurse chose that moment to walk in. "I'm sorry, but visiting hours are over. The boys need to rest."

"Okay. I'll be back first thing in the morning, Joey. Sleep well."

Joe nodded, and watched his Dad leave the room. Once the nurse gave them their medicine, she left.

Joe carefully climbed out of bed. Pulling the machines with him, he made it over to Frank's bed.

Frank was curled up, still rigged from the poison. He glanced up at Joe, a smile crossing his face. He scooched back, giving Joe some room.

Fenton, Laura, Gertrude, Callie, Chet, Biff, Iola, Phil, and Tony were all waiting in the waiting room the next morning. The doctor came in.

"The boys are better now, so you can all go in. We need to watch Joe's heart for a while, but he's fine. But Frank has a few broken bones, multiple cuts and bruises, a concussion, and other injuries. He's going to be here a while. Don't get them riled up. They need to rest."

Everyone agreed, before rushing to the room. When they walked in, Laura freaked out when she saw Joe's empty bed.

"Where is he!?"

"Mom," Joe whined. "I'm right here."

Joe held up his hand, which promptly disappeared back into the white blankets that covered him and Frank.

"Joe! What are you doing!?"

Joe lifted his head. "We were _planning_ to have a vacation at the lake that weekend, but then this whole thing happened. So, I'm enjoying a little time alone with my big brother."

Frank mumbled something.

"Oh, and Frank was cold. So what was I going to do? Let him freeze?"

"Isn't it a little . . . Uncomfortable to sleep in the same bed?" Iola asked.

Joe didn't skip a beat. "Nope. I had nightmares when I was a kid, so I slept in Frank's bed more often than not. It's comforting." Joe glanced down at Frank, a mischievous grin crossing his face. "And besides, Frank can be a big ol' softy when he wants to be."

"Am not," Frank mumbled.

"Says you. How about you open your eyes?"

"I'm still asleep."

"But you're talking."

"Ever heard of 'sleep talking'? It's like sleep walking, only you talk instead of walk."

Joe laughed, before laying back down. "You're all worried about nothing. Frank and I are fine."

"Joe, I hate to ask, but what happened?"

Joe looked over at Frank, then back at his Dad. "We'll need to wait for Frank to wake up first." Joe leaned over Frank, waving his hand in his brother's face. "Man, he is out of it! They didn't drug him that bad, did they?"

"Who drugged him?!"

Joe looked over again. "The crooks. After the fight, they gave him something to ease the pain. He was high for a minute or two."

"What fight!?"

"Joe, just tell them what happened."

Joe placed his hand on Frank's arm, a pained look crossing his face. He whispered in Frank's ear, bringing a little smile to his brothers face.

"We'll tell you later. But for now, what happened while we were gone?"

It took Frank three days to completely wake up. Even then he was too weak to leave the bed. Joe got out a week before Frank did, but he still insisted staying at the hospital most of the time.

Finally, Frank was getting released from the hospital.

Joe helped Frank tie his shoes. "Finally! You've been in here forever."

"Yeah, I'll be glad to be home."

With all the paperwork done, Joe walked Frank out to the van.

"So, where is everybody?" Frank asked.

"Dad's on a case, Mom's working at the library, Aunt Gertrude is making dinner-"

"Thank goodness."

"I know. And everyone else is 'too busy to come'. So I get to annoy you to no end for the _whole_ ride home."

"The long route?"

"Of course."

"Good. I could use with some normally."

Halfway across the parking lot, Frank stumbled. Joe caught him easily, but Frank couldn't get his feet under him.

"Joe, I can't-" Frank's voice broke off as he slumped against his brother. "I'm sorry." Frank closed his eyes, only to feel his knees leave the ground. A slight pressure on his back and the back of his knees, brought a soothing comfort.

He laid his head on Joe's shoulder, fighting sleep.

"You carried me for a week, keeping me alive, at the cost of your own health. I'll never know how much it hurt you. Now, it's my turn to carry you."

Frank fell limp against his brother, giving in to the exhaustion, knowing Joe had him. He heard the door, and the seatbelts. He felt the seats against his side and head, and the seatbelts around his waist, shoulders, and legs.

He opened his eyes once, seeing Joe look back at him from the driver's seat.

"It's okay Frank. You're safe."

"I know." Frank smiled. "As long as we're together, we'll be okay."

Joe nodded, a 'your-right' gesture. Starting the van, Frank fell asleep, thinking back to the week after the 'games'. How Joe would 'die' and he performed CPR, restarting his heart. The only thing that kept him going, was knowing that Joe would die without him.

"It's still true, ya know."

Frank opened his eyes. "Did I say it out loud?"

"No, but I know what you're thinking about, and I know where you're stopping at." Joe looked back, the van sitting at a red light. "I remember the whole thing. I was paralyzed, not unconscious."

"Sorry if I scared you."

"You didn't. Actually, I felt really bad at how much pain I was making you go through."

"I'd do it again. If I relived that week, I'd wouldn't change a thing."

Joe smiled, as Frank finally gave in and went to sleep. A weight off his chest.

" _Whatever happens, we'll face it together."_

Joe carried Frank inside the house, the boy still too weak to stand. Everyone was at the house, setting up a party. Even Joe was surprised.

"Oh, Frank! Are you okay!?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"I'm sorry we didn't go to pick you up."

"That's okay. Joe and I had a nice talk."

Joe sat Frank down on a recliner.

Through the whole evening, Joe kept Frank's plate and cup from being empty. Until he was stuffed.

Iola finally grabbed Joe's arm. "You don't have to be at his beak-and-call all the time."

Joe smiled. "Of course I don't, but I chose to. _We_ chose to. We help each other. And if anyone doesn't like it, there's the door. He's my brother, and he's hurt, because he couldn't stand the thought of me dying."

"What happened?"

Joe sat down next on the side table by Frank. With a glance at his brother, Frank started the story, all the way back at the Thursday before it happened. Telling the truth. The real truth. The truth behind their masks.


End file.
